Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 10 Hansard (Thursday, 26 August 2004) . . Page.. 4320 ..

detailed numbers with me now, but we have approved that. The planning is complete or complete to the point where, in relation to those pre-planned land releases that you’ve mentioned, there is now land available for sale in 2005 and 2006 that will accommodate 400 aged care beds and 600 aged care units.

That is not counting the approvals for direct grants, including the direct grant to Calvary for the Bruce site of 100 beds and 74 independent living units. It does not count the unique and trend-setting arrangement negotiated by the Land Development Agency with the Commonwealth in relation to the application of 100 aged care beds on section 87 of Belconnen. It is actually an arrangement that I think we should be particularly proud of, an arrangement in relation to section 87 at Lake Ginninderra. That will be the way of the future. I indicated yesterday when we discussed this issue that the Land Development Agency, I think, needs to be congratulated that the model that has now been negotiated will become the model for all jurisdictions around Australia—a direct relationship between states and territories, as the provider of the land and the facilitator of the construction of beds, and the Commonwealth, never forgetting, of course, that it is a Commonwealth responsibility to pay for and to fund aged care beds. It is a Commonwealth responsibility.

Mr Smyth: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: the question is quite specific. When will these beds actually become operational? He wasn’t asked about us. He was asked when these beds will become operational. If he does not know the answer, he should just sit down.

MR SPEAKER: I hear your point, but you cannot answer questions about aged care beds without referring to the Commonwealth, I would not have thought.

MR STANHOPE: The beds are coming on stream; they are coming on stream incrementally. Many have come on over the course of the last year. There are many more that will be produced before the end of next year. All of those that were assigned up until July this year will be delivered before the end of next year. We are now in a position where there is no reason or expectation that there will be any delay after that.

MR SPEAKER: The minister’s time has expired.

MR CORNWELL: When will the 200-plus aged care beds—I will do a deal with you—that have been waiting to become operational for over two years, the 200 beds that you people have ignored for over two years—actually become operational?

Mr Hargreaves: Mr Speaker, on a point of order: this is a preamble to a supplementary.

MR SPEAKER: No, it was a question.

MR STANHOPE: Many of those are already operational. The others will incrementally become operational before the end of next year.

It was a miserly number of beds that the Liberal Party federally did provide to the ACT. The problem that we have now is that the federal Liberal party, in its miserly attitude to the needs of an ageing community and the paltry number of beds it is delivering—

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .